Vina Robles Winter 2020 Newsletter

n e w s l e t t e r WINTER 2020

Inside this

ISSUE 3 A Note from Our Owners 4 Featured Wine 5 New Release 6 Behind the Vine 8 From the Cellar 11 Happenings

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DEAR FRIENDS, It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you of the passing of Hans Nef (75), founder and majority owner of Vina Robles.

A tragic swimming accident in the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of Africa took his life in late November.

A rare visionary and brilliant entrepreneur, Mr. Nef was a highly successful civil engineer, Hans Nef 02/16/1944 – 11/29/2019 real estate developer, investor and active board member of several companies. His foray into the wine business began later in life, but if you asked him, he was just hitting his stride. After an extensive search for the perfect place, Hans Nef planted his first vineyard in 1997, and founded Vina Robles in late 1998. It quickly became his passion project. The Nef family home is in Switzerland, but the patriarch visited Paso Robles often, bringing groups of friends, and his entire family along whenever possible.

Just before the holidays, I attended Hans Nef ’s memorial service in his hometown near Zurich. During my visit I was able to spend time with his daughters, Nicole and Michèle. I came back home knowing that Hans Nef ’s vision and legacy will live on. While the Vina Robles team will miss him greatly, this assurance from the Nef family shines a bright light on the future, and gives us confidence as we begin a new year and a new decade.

Hans -R. Michel, Managing Partner

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FEATURED WIN

Featured Wine

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2018 CHARDONNAY MISTRAL VINEYARD MONTEREY While nearly all of our wines come from our Paso Robles estate vineyards, we travel north to Monterey County to source our Chardonnay from our esteemed Mistral Vineyard. Here, brisk Pacific breezes blow down from Monterey Bay and through the Salinas Valley, providing perfect conditions for this cool-climate variety. In 2018, the fruit was picked early in the morning and immediately delivered to the winery. After gentle pressing and cold settling, the wine was fermented in a combination of stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels, then aged sur lie for six months to increase complexity and enrich the mouthfeel. The result is varietally true Chardonnay that exhibits bright fruit flavors with weight and elegance.

TASTING NOTES The 2018 Chardonnay presents vibrant aromas of citrus, golden apple and butterscotch with hints of mineral. A rich, viscous texture reveals flavors of pear, papaya, pineapple, all underlain by suggestions of caramel and autumn spice. A creamy, silky finish lingers with a sense of balance and elegance.

PAIRING RECOMMENDATIONS This richly flavored yet balanced Chardonnay is a fine match for butter-poached scallops, roast salmon and apple cider chicken.

2016 SUENDERO We are excited to unveil the 2016 Suendero—a blockbuster Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (58%), Malbec (25%) and Petit Verdot (17%).

The 2016 Suendero hails from our estate Adelaida Springs Ranch in the rugged coastal mountains west of Paso Robles.

The name Suendero—derived from Sueño Sendero, or “the dream path”—celebrates the magical terrain of this vineyard and its unique confluence of growing conditions.

Indeed, Adelaida Springs Ranch resides at an elevation of 1,700 feet just 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean, with the vines planted to slopes of rocky calcareous soils—all conducive to producing Bordeaux varieties of extraordinary flavor, structure and staying power.

True to form, the 2016 vintage is loaded with bold aromas of blueberry, black cherry, violets and dark chocolate. The palate is chewy and expansive, brimming with flavors of cassis, boysenberry, blackberry pie and espresso bean. Notes of cocoa and tobacco join sturdy tannins on a firm, powerful finish.

Rated 93 points in the February/March issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine

NEW RELEAS

New Release

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Behind the Vine with Vineyard Operations Manager Carter Collins

At Vina Robles, we take pride in the fact that all of our estate vineyards have earned Sustainability in Practice (SIP) certification.

SIP certification is one of the most stringent programs of its kind and is considered a benchmark for sustainable winegrowing practices. It encompasses not only environmental concerns, but also human resources and economic considerations—all with an eye toward future generations.

I am personally invested in these practices. In fact, I helped our vineyards achieve SIP certifications beginning in 2011. At the time, I was a viticulture student at Cal Poly—as well as a part-time vineyard employee here at Vina Robles. My senior project consisted of evaluating different certification programs, then choosing SIP and helping Vina Robles achieve SIP certifications.

By that time, Vina Robles was already deeply committed to sustainable practices, but I was able to help us take the required steps toward certification—which not only allowed us to validate our practices, but also inspired us to take them to the next level.

One important thing I’ve learned is that sustainability is not static—it is always evolving.

For example, in recent years we have installed soil moisture probes in our vineyards.

While we have always been judicious with our water use, these probes provide precise information that enables us to know exactly where and when we need to apply irrigation—further reducing our water consumption.

In just a few months, we are going to enlist the services of a company called Parabug, which was started by a friend of mine. Parabug uses drones to release beneficial insects into parts of a vineyard impacted by detrimental insects such as mites and mealybugs. It almost sounds like science fiction, but it’s real! After that, a bit of “biological warfare” ensues as the good guys take out the bad guys. It is an incredibly natural, low-impact solution to a real vineyard problem.

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This is what sustainable winegrowing is all about—being both efficient and humane, and minimizing impacts so that we can get the most out of our vines while being respectful of the surrounding environment.

We are not alone, and we are proud to belong to a Paso Robles winegrowing community that is passionate about farming for tomorrow.

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From the Cellar with Winemaker Kevin Willenborg

At Vina Robles, our commitment to sustainability is not just limited to the vineyard and the great outdoors—in fact, it touches on every step of the winemaking process, right down to how we operate our equipment and illuminate our barrel rooms.

“While we have always been mindful of sustainable practices in the cellar, the creation of our new winery has allowed us to take a big leap forward,” says Winemaker Kevin Willenborg.

That leap forward begins with our one-megawatt solar array located at our estate Huerhuero Vineyard, just 300 yards from the winery. This solar plant became operational late last year, and it now generates more energy than our entire winery consumes.

“The solar array represents a significant reduction in our carbon footprint,” Kevin says. “It was an expensive investment, but it is the responsible thing to do. We have no shortage of sunshine here in Paso Robles, and we are taking full advantage to cancel out our electrical energy consumption.”

Our pursuit of energy efficiency does not end there, however. The winery is outfitted with low-power LED lighting systems that further reduce energy usage. The building was also specifically designed to amplify natural light with cellar windows and even roll-up doors with sectional windows.

“It allows us to see the outdoors and use less electrical lighting,” Kevin says. “It makes for a healthier working environment, too. At a lot of wineries, you see people rolling up the doors just to get a bit of sunlight.”

Energy efficiency is not always about eliminating electrical usage. For example, we have replaced many of our propane-powered forklifts with electric forklifts, because the reduction in fossil fuel use is ultimately more impactful.

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While sunshine is abundant in Paso Robles, water is not. At our winery in the Geneseo District, we receive an average of 13 inches of rain annually. Needless to say, water conservation is critical This is why our winery roof is designed to capture rainwater, which is then collected in a retention pond for use in the vineyard later in the year. A single inch of rainfall allows us to capture 43,000 gallons of recyclable water, which means we are able to collect and reuse more than 500,000 gallons during an average year.

“The best thing about sustainability is that there is no downside,” Kevin says. “It is better for our planet and for our people, and in the long run it is better for our bottom line. It feels good to drink a glass of our wine and know that it was responsibly made.”

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Happenings NEWS & HAPPENINGS VINTAGE PASO: ZINFANDEL WEEKEND FRIDAY, MARCH 20 – SUNDAY, MARCH 22 This is a great weekend to experience the Vina Robles Hospitality Center! Tastings of our Estate Series and Limited Estate Collection wines will be available, our Bistro Service will present Friday/Saturday Lunch and Sunday Brunch by our own Chef James Richmond, we’ll be celebrating the release of our new Zinfandel, and Vintage Paso wine specials will be offered.

Reservations recommended for all, but required for groups of nine or more (applies to Tastings, Lunch, and Brunch). Open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with Bistro Service 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

BISTRO SERVICE Bistro Service is available both indoors and al fresco on the Jardine Court Wednesdays through Sundays. Additionally, our members enjoy the option of being served in their private Club Lounge Fridays through Sundays. Chef James Richmond has just rolled out his Spring menu, highlighting his passion for ultra-local ingredients and sustainable agriculture.

Reservations, hours, and menus are available at vinarobles.com.

VINA ROBLES AMPHITHEATRE NOW ANNOUNCING 2020 CONCERTS More information at vinaroblesamphitheatre.com

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ABOUT VINA ROBLES Growers and makers of expressive, approachable estate wines from Paso Robles, California, Vina Robles owns and farms six estate SIPÂŽ Certified Sustainable vineyards in five sub-districts in the region. First class hospitality service is offered by way of unique, memorable experiences with wine, food and music at their core. The vineyards & winery are owned and managed by two Swiss families who have been farming winegrapes in Paso Robles for more than 20 years.

1200 Priska Drive, Paso Robles, CA 93446 805-227-4812 VinaRobles.com